The Iranian Navy's 42nd flotilla of warships rescued seven sailors aboard a vessel that had been adrift in the northern Indian Ocean for two weeks, a high-ranking navy official announced. Deputy Navy Commander Rear Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi said the 42nd naval flotilla on Sunday came across an Iranian fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean and saved its occupants, Tasnim News Agency reported. He said due to serious damage to the vessel's propulsion system and in order to prevent a possible pirate attack, the vessel was towed by the fleet's Alvand Destroyer. The 42nd flotilla of warships set sail for international waters on July 18 as part of regular missions to ensure security of the country's trade vessels. The fleet, comprising the Alvand Destroyer and the Tonb logistic warship, recently departed Iran's southern coasts for the Gulf of Aden and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.